Day Seven.  The Saddle.  Glen Shiel.

The Saddle, 1010m, 3313', 118

The classic view down Glen Shiel of this complex mountain makes it a real 'must do' Munro and it gives a memorable day.  It's rightly regarded as one of the finest of all Scottish hills.

A great bonus to this is that it starts right from the roadside.  There is a stalker's path that can be seen meandering up to the col between two outliers.  Foachag (the whelk) is the prominent peak seen from the roadside and this is a very impressive, classically pointed peak.  Before too long though, this route takes you high above 'the whelk' making it seem insignificant from the Saddle.

The Saddle from high col.

Looking across to The Whelk. 

This is an obvious, easy-to-follow well-graded route that takes you up to a point just below the Forcan Ridge.

The start of The Forcan Ridge

Whereas it had been pretty easy so far, it was going to get much, much harder from this point.  The duo you see in the photo on the Forcan ridge were a nice couple of fell-runners from Derbyshire I got talking to and they had the same dodgy moments on the rock face as I had.  There is the choice of taking a full-frontal assault on the ridge or by side-stepping it, it's possible to go to the top another way avoiding the rock face.  Given the many, many ups and downs and the numerous false summits on the ridge, it is no hardship to give this face a swerve.  Either way, once you're on it, you're committed to it.

There are many hairy moments on this face.  A good head for heights is essential and the frustrations of climbing up and up and up, and then having to lose height and drop down several times can get annoying.  The number of times you think to yourself, 'that MUST be the summit' only to get there and find out the top is a lot further on, is also irritating.  

But eventually, there is no more higher ground so you've made it!

Looking back down on the Forcan Ridge

The views from this particular top were amongst the best I've ever had in Scotland.  It was a wonderful place to be and the hills both nearby and distant looked glorious.  It's terrific to see the shape of the land from high up.  The coast, the islands to the west, the high ground rearing up all around you, this is the magic of the mountains for me and all seen from this vantage point!   

Me chomping the last of my food on the top of The Saddle

Another 'must-do', Beinn Sgriteall beckons

The Five Sisters from the descent on the Saddle.

A very wearying descent was made from here, hot and waterless and I couldn't get to the car soon enough.  I stripped off at the roadside caring nothing for any cars going past, took the drum of water and sluiced it all over myself to cool off.  The thing is, it had been so hot, the water gave the feeling of having a warm shower!

My route:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/182835735